Mooney M20F accident near College Station, Texas, October 19, 1997
On October 19, 1997 at about 7:16 am local time, a Mooney M20F, registered N7433V, was substantially damaged in an accident near College Station, Texas (Easterwood Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during a go-around. Factors were :the pilot's premature retraction of the flaps, his lack of total experience in the airplane, the dark night illumination, pilot fatigue, and pressure induced by the passengers to complete the night flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 19, 1997 · about 7:16 am local time
- Place
- College Station, Texas · Easterwood Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20F · all M20Fs on the register
- Registration
- N7433V · no longer on the register · serial 22-1210
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The night cross country flight originated at Manhattan, Kansas, where the four college students aboard the airplane attended a Kansas State-Texas A&M football game. The flight had landed at Oklahoma City for fuel near midnight. The pilot reported that he had visual contact with the Easterbrook Field Airport when 15 miles north of the airport. After obtaining the weather, he initiated a descent for a straight-in approach to Runway 16. The pilot added 'while on short final he felt that his rate of descent was too steep' so he elected to execute a go-around when the airplane was approximately 40 feet above the runway. The pilot reported that 'the airplane stalled after he applied full power and retracted the landing gear and flaps.' In the enclosed statement, under the heading of 'Other General Observations,' the pilot stated that he was extremely fatigued due to the 20 hour day, the 8.5 hour flight-day and the chronic fatigue from being a college student. He also noted that he felt extreme pressure from the passengers to get back to Texas ('get-there-itis'). The pilot also stated that this was only his second night landing in the airplane and he considered himself 'to have low time' in the airplane.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 160 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 47 in the last 90 days; 29 in the last 30 days; 113 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,871 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 21, 1997; 69 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Texas A&M Flying Club INC.
The flight
- Departed from: OKC Oklahoma City OK at 4:45 am
- Destination: CLL TX
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 16, 7,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 130° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 am from CLL, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.